What Is Something Beneath About?
The premise of Something Beneath in 277 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In the sleek, newly‑opened Cedar Gates Conference Center, an ecological summit gathers hopeful voices eager to showcase sustainable progress. Beneath the polished halls, however, a strange black slime seeps from the building’s plumbing, turning the venue’s promise of green innovation into a subtle and unsettling threat. The seepage is more than a mess; those who come into contact with it are plagued by disturbing hallucinations that blur the line between personal trauma and collective tragedy, casting a shadow over the conference’s bright ambitions.
Father Douglas Middleton arrives as the event’s resident priest, drawn to the gathering by both duty and a quiet reverence for the natural world. He meets Khali Spence, the confident coordinator tasked with keeping the convention on track. Their partnership quickly reveals a contrast of perspectives: Middleton’s measured, faith‑guided calm balances Khali’s pragmatic, hands‑on approach, yet both sense an undercurrent of something far older and more hostile than any ordinary hazard. Their dialogue hints at deeper cultural ties, especially when Khali draws upon an ancestral necklace blessed by her Ojibwe grandmother, suggesting that old wisdom may be the key to confronting the unknown.
The atmosphere of the film fuses sci‑fi dread with psychological horror, letting the slime’s mysterious properties seep into the characters’ minds and the very architecture of the center. Shadows flicker in corridors, whispers echo through conference rooms, and the once‑bright optimism of the environmental showcase mutates into a tense, claustrophobic arena where reality itself feels malleable. As the convention unfolds, the crew must navigate not only the logistical challenges of a high‑profile event but also the creeping dread that something ancient has taken root in the very ground they stand on.
What Happens in Something Beneath?
The complete story of Something Beneath, from the first scene to the last, in 743 words (about 3 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 7 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
On the Cedar Gates Conference Center (CGCC) construction site, Dutch [Kevin Aichele] comes into contact with a mysterious black slime seeping from the freshly broken ground. He experiences a terrifying vision in which Bob and several others race toward him in bulldozers, and the fear culminates in a fall onto exposed rebar. His death is attributed to drinking, but the unsettling encounter plants a bleak prophecy about what lies ahead for CGCC.
A year later, an ecological conference is held at the newly opened CGCC, led by the Episcopalian priest Father Douglas Middleton. He meets CGCC manager Symes and event coordinator Khali Spence. Middleton’s presence brings a sense of gravity to the gathering, even as the surrounding grounds hum with activity and chatter about sustainability and progress. Nearby, Middleton’s friend and keynote speaker Eugene Herman practices his address in the woods, only to be pulled into a slime pit and suffocated by an unseen creature, a scene that immediately signals that something ancient and dangerous has taken root in CGCC’s soil.
The next day, Middleton warns Khali about the ominous disappearance and unsettled energy around the conference. CGCC Chief of Security Deadmarsh and her assistant Tony check Eugene’s room, while Reggie and Hank—maintenance workers—continue to hunt for a hidden pipe blockage causing hotel-wide disruptions. They have not laid eyes on Eugene, but the sense of something watching grows stronger as Deadmarsh and Tony venture into the surrounding woods and uncover Eugene’s body, his face horribly contorted as if the life within him was twisted by a silent, invasive force.
Meanwhile, Middleton’s search leads him to Mikaela Strovsky [Brittany Scobie], a glamorous celebrity who is chasing after her dog Cleopatra while drenched in black slime. She records a vlog, hoping to capture the chaos for her audience, but she is soon haunted by visions: an eyeless woman in the mirrors of her room. In a trance, Mikaela smashes all the mirrors and dies from self-inflicted wounds, a death that staff member Manuela, a housekeeping employee played by Thanya Romero, later labels as suicide. The events deepen the sense that CGCC is a trap set by forces beyond human control.
Khali experiences her own frightening encounter with the slime, including a hallucinatory pursuit by a dog she once feared as a child. She instinctively reaches for her grandmother’s necklace for protection, and Middleton interrupts the vision in time to reveal that the dog was simply Cleopatra. A flashback shows Khali’s Ojibwe grandmother blessing the necklace with a prayer, a detail that will prove crucial when the crisis peaks.
In the sewers beneath CGCC, Reggie and Hank are consumed by a massive growth of slime that engulfs them both. Middleton and Khali cross paths with Dr. Connolly [Brendan Beiser], who has taken up residence in the woods to continue his research. He theorizes that the slime is a single organism with a hive mind, an alien-like entity that arrived when the CGCC project disrupted a habitat it calls home. Connolly posits that this organism can reproduce rapidly and spread through any available channel, turning the building into a living trap.
Back at the hotel, Deadmarsh views Mikaela’s vlog and sees a slime-covered creature slither from Mikaela’s bathtub as she smashes the mirrors. The team returns to the sewers to search for Reggie and Hank, while Symes—now in full paranoia due to contact with the slime—begins to hallucinate. Tony shoots him as he lunges, and his body is found later by Middleton, Khali, and Connolly. The trio discovers that the slime is sealing off every exit, cutting off any chance of escape.
Deadmarsh sacrifices herself to buy time for the others, setting methane leaks aflame behind a sealed metal door. They advance and locate the heart of the creature, including the gaping mouth, and Connolly falls into it. Middleton acts quickly to save Khali as she teeters on the brink, and she uses her grandmother’s necklace to calm the monster by reciting the Ojibwe prayer. The escape is tense and bittersweet: Middleton reconciles with Khali in the ambulance, admitting that his earlier hallucination was a fear that Khali might have fallen into the creature. He asks her to leave on his next mission, and she agrees, their kiss signaling a fragile but hopeful connection amid the ruins.
As dawn breaks, more slime seeps up through a manhole, a grim reminder that the threat is far from over and that CGCC’s walls cannot keep the mystery at bay.
Something Beneath Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
12 key events in the order they happen, from “Discovery of the black slime at CGCC construction site” to “Dawn and the ever-present threat”. 12 events name a place, across 12 locations.
- 1
Discovery of the black slime at CGCC construction site
Dutch comes into contact with a mysterious black slime seeping from the freshly broken ground and experiences a terrifying vision of bulldozers racing toward him. The fear culminates in a fall onto exposed rebar, seemingly causing his death. The incident is attributed to drinking, but seeds a bleak prophecy about what lies ahead for CGCC.
When:Present day Where:Cedar Gates Conference Center construction site
- 2
A year later: the ecological conference opens at CGCC
An ecological conference begins at the newly opened CGCC, with Middleton bringing gravity to the gathering. He meets CGCC manager Symes and event coordinator Khali Spence. Nearby, Eugene Herman practices his keynote in the woods and is pulled into a slime pit, suffocated by an unseen creature. The events hint at an ancient danger rooted in CGCC’s soil.
When:One year later Where:CGCC
- 3
Eugene's disappearance and the room check
The next day, Middleton warns Khali about the ominous energy around the conference. Deadmarsh and her assistant Tony search Eugene’s hotel room, while Reggie and Hank continue to hunt for a hidden pipe blockage causing disruptions. They have not seen Eugene, but Deadmarsh and Tony venture into the woods and uncover his body, his face twisted by a silent invasive force.
When:The day after the conference opens Where:CGCC hotel area and surrounding woods
- 4
Mikaela Strovsky encounters the slime and records a vlog
Middleton’s search leads him to Mikaela Strovsky, a glamorous celebrity chasing her dog Cleopatra while drenched in black slime. She records a chaotic vlog in hopes of entertaining her audience and experiences visions of an eyeless woman in the mirrors of her room. The encounter signals that CGCC is drawing in ancient, dangerous forces.
When:During Middleton's search Where:CGCC vicinity and Mikaela’s room
- 5
Mikaela’s death and the suicide verdict
In a trance, Mikaela smashes all the mirrors and dies from self-inflicted wounds. Staff member Manuela later labels the death as suicide, deepening the sense that CGCC is a trap set by forces beyond human control.
When:Shortly after the vlog Where:Mikaela’s room
- 6
Khali’s slime encounter and the grandmother’s blessing
Khali experiences a frightening encounter with the slime, including a hallucinatory pursuit by a dog she once feared. She instinctively reaches for her grandmother’s necklace for protection, and Middleton interrupts the vision to reveal that the dog was Cleopatra. A flashback shows Khali’s Ojibwe grandmother blessing the necklace with a prayer.
When:During the slime encounter Where:CGCC corridors
- 7
Sewers reveal a hive minded organism
In the sewers beneath CGCC, Reggie and Hank are consumed by a massive growth of slime. Middleton and Khali cross paths with Dr. Connolly, who theorizes that the slime is a single organism with a hive mind that arrived when the CGCC project disrupted its habitat. He explains it can reproduce rapidly and spread through any channel, turning the building into a living trap.
When:Later in the same week Where:CGCC sewers
- 8
Mikaela’s vlog confirms the threat; the creature appears
Back at the hotel, Deadmarsh reviews Mikaela’s vlog and sees a slime-covered creature slither from Mikaela’s bathtub as she smashes the mirrors. The team then returns to the sewers to search for Reggie and Hank, while Symes becomes paranoid due to contact with the slime.
When:Evening Where:Hotel room and CGCC sewers
- 9
Symes’s paranoia erupts in violence
Symes, now paranoid due to the slime, lunges at the team and is shot by Tony. His body is later found by Middleton, Khali, and Connolly, adding to the sense that the threat is closing in on everyone.
When:Evening Where:CGCC hotel area
- 10
Heart of the creature and the final confrontation
The trio discovers the heart of the creature with a gaping mouth deep within the structure, and Connolly falls into it. Middleton acts quickly to save Khali as she teeters on the brink, and she uses her grandmother’s necklace to calm the monster by reciting the Ojibwe prayer.
When:Final confrontation Where:Inside the creature’s core
- 11
Escape and a fragile bond
The team escapes to the ambulance, where Middleton reconciles with Khali and admits his fear that she might have fallen into the creature. He asks her to leave on his next mission, and they share a kiss, signaling a fragile but hopeful connection amid the ruins.
When:After the escape Where:Ambulance outside CGCC
- 12
Dawn and the ever-present threat
At dawn, more slime seeps up through a manhole, serving as a grim reminder that the threat is far from over. CGCC’s walls cannot keep the mystery at bay, and the danger lingers in the ground beneath.
When:Dawn Where:CGCC exterior street
Who Are the Main Characters in Something Beneath?
11 characters, among them Deadmarsh (Peter MacNeill), Tony (Brett Donahue) and Eugene Herman (Rob McLaughlin): who each one is and the part they play in the story. 10 of them link to the actor’s page.
- D(
Deadmarsh (Peter MacNeill)
Played by Peter MacNeill
CGCC Chief of Security who quickly grasps the scale of the slime threat. She stabilizes the situation with decisive leadership and ultimately sacrifices herself to buy time for Middleton, Khali, and Connolly as the facility seals itself off.
- 🛡️ Security
- 🔥 Sacrifice
- 🧭 Pragmatic
- T(
Tony (Brett Donahue)
Played by Brett Donahue
Deadmarsh’s assistant who helps coordinate responses and chase down problems as the hotel and grounds buckle under the slime’s spread. He embodies loyalty while the pressure mounts and the threat intensifies.
- 🧭 Loyal
- 🧰 Operational
- 🗺️ Tension
- EH
Eugene Herman (Rob McLaughlin)
Played by Rob McLaughlin
Friend and keynote speaker who practices his address in the woods, only to be pulled into a slime pit, signaling the organism’s reach into personal, intimate spaces and the fragility of human certainty.
- 🎤 Speaker
- 🧠 Intellectual
- 🕳️ Tragic
-
Father Douglas Middleton (Kevin Sorbo)
Played by Kevin Sorbo
An Episcopalian priest whose presence lends gravity to the conference. He warns about the ominous energy surrounding CGCC and guides others toward a path that blends faith and reason in the face of horror.
- ✝️ Faith Leader
- 🧭 Moral Compass
- 🧪 Skeptical
- KS
Khali Spence (Natalie Brown)
Played by Natalie Brown
CGCC event coordinator who experiences visceral visions and relies on her grandmother’s necklace for protection. She forms a fragile bond with Middleton as the danger intensifies and the group fights to survive.
- 🧭 Coordinator
- 🗝️ Protector
- 💫 Visionary
- MS
Mikaela Strovsky (Brittany Scobie)
Played by Brittany Scobie
Glamour celebrity livestreaming the chaos, drenched in slime and chasing sensational content. Her encounter with the mirrors and the creature leads to a death that underscores vanity, spectacle, and vulnerability.
- 🎬 Celebrity
- 📹 Vlogger
- 🪞 Haunted
- DC
Dr. Connolly (Brendan Beiser)
Played by Brendan Beiser
Scientist who theorizes the slime as a single hive-minded organism. He teams up with Middleton and Khali to analyze the threat, offering a rational counterpoint to the supernatural shadows at CGCC.
- 🧪 Scientist
- 🧠 Theorist
- 🧭 Guide
- S(
Symes (Gordon Tanner)
Played by Gordon Tanner
CGCC manager whose paranoia grows after contact with the slime, culminating in a fatal confrontation when Tony shoots him and the group later recovers his body.
- 🏢 Manager
- 🌀 Paranoia
- ⚔️ Confrontation
- R(
Reggie (Blake Taylor)
Played by Blake Taylor
Maintenance worker who, along with Hank, descends into the sewers and is consumed by the slime, highlighting the unstoppable spread of the organism.
- 🛠️ Worker
- 🕳️ Ensnared
- 🌀 Danger
- H(
Hank (Tom Keenan)
Maintenance worker who becomes another casualty of the slime’s advance, reinforcing the sense that no one is safe as CGCC spirals toward collapse.
- 🧰 Worker
- 🕳️ Ensnared
- 🌀 Danger
- M(
Manuela (Thanya Romero)
Played by Thanya Romero
Housekeeping staff member who notes Mikaela’s death as suicide, offers perspective on the events and helps interpret the hospital-like chaos that frames the hotel and CGCC.
- 🧹 Worker
- 🧭 Insight
- 🕊️ Perseverance
Where and When Is Something Beneath Set?
Something Beneath is set in Cedar Gates Conference Center (CGCC), CGCC grounds, CGCC sewers, the hotel near…. Here is why the place matters to the story.
Where
Cedar Gates Conference Center (CGCC), CGCC grounds, CGCC sewers, the hotel near CGCC, surrounding woods
On the Cedar Gates Conference Center (CGCC) construction site, a mysterious black slime seeps from freshly broken ground. The CGCC grounds and the nearby hotel become a stage for escalating threats as the creature’s reach expands into the sewers and surrounding woods. The place shifts from a hub of progress to a trap that changes with the creature, locking in victims as the slime grows.
- 🌿 Eco-Horror
- 🏗️ Construction Site
- 🕯️ Atmospheric
- 🔬 Investigation
What Are the Themes of Something Beneath?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Ancient Threat, Faith & Sacrifice and Hive Mind.
-
01
Ancient Threat
An ancient, hive-minded force lurks beneath modern progress, arriving with the disturbance of CGCC. The slime expands through corridors, sewers, and rooms, turning the building into a living maze. The danger suggests a primal power older than the conference itself and beyond simple ecological harm.
-
02
Faith & Sacrifice
Faith and memory become lifelines as Khali’s Ojibwe grandmother’s necklace and a final prayer anchor the survivors. Father Middleton serves as a moral compass, balancing science with spirituality amid escalating horror. Sacrifice and personal connection emerge as essential acts of resilience.
-
03
Hive Mind
Connolly’s hive-mind theory reframes the crisis as a single organism that can reproduce rapidly, turning CGCC into a labyrinth. The team must rethink science, myth, and memory to outwit the creature. Hope rests on blending engineering, ritual, and shared sacrifice to stall the advance.
What Kind of Film Is Something Beneath?
Tense in tone, with fast pacing and a straightforward story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Tense
- Pacing
- Fast
- Story
- Straightforward
- Intensity
- High
- Ending
- Ambiguous
A relentless and claustrophobic horror film that traps its characters with a sentient, hallucinogenic slime, creating a fast-paced experience of escalating paranoia and psychological terror.
- suspenseful
- claustrophobic
- paranoid
- anxious
- oppressive
- fearful
- ecological horror
- supernatural entity
- survival
- hallucinations
Content notes: suicide depiction, graphic death, hallucinations, body horror.
Quiz
How well do you remember Something Beneath? Test yourself on the story.
Where to Watch Something Beneath
Stream it on Amazon Prime Video and Fawesome, or rent or buy it from Amazon Video. US availability and prices from JustWatch.
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